Characters

Aibileen Clark:

One of the three main narrators and main characters of the novel.  She starts off with explaining herself as the maid of Mrs. Elizabeth Leefolt. She also shows how she is connected with Mae Mobley and greatly influences her thoughout the novel. Kathryn Stockett depict her as "Gods Child" throughout the novel with examples such as; having prayers come true for others when she prays, or taking on the consequences and doing something for herself and others by trendsetting the making of "Help". Her best friend is Minny throughout the novel; Minny being quite the opposite of Aibileen. She also references her son, Treelore, multiple times throughout the novel and sometimes even compares him to Mae Mobley. Without Aibileen, Ms. Skeeter wouldn't have gotten any novel accomplished and wouldve failed.

Minny Jackson:

One of the three main narrators and main characters of the novel. She is the "sassy mamma", and the "I ain't give a hoot about anybody but myself and my family" kind of character. She is also considered one of the best cooks in Jackson, Mississippi as well. She is the character that shows what its like to be an African American person who stands up for herself in 1960's Mississippi. Minny also represent what would be the "new generation" during the '60's with her personality.  It usually ends up being bad when against the likes of people like Hilly Holbrook, especially if you are African American. However, she is also the convincing type and allows for things to happen with her words, such as getting the 11 maids to work with Skeeter to get the novel requirements in. She is also the reason why the book would be published by using an incident to "blackmail" Hilly. Her involvement with Celia Foote shows the relationship between a white woman and black woman, and when Celia breaks the "code of conduct", Minny is caught off guard because of how customs work in the south at that time.

Leroy  Jackson:

Depicts the African American husband at the time. Shows how women were treated when the male stuck around, or else they wouldn't be there for them at all.

Sugar Jackson:

Sugar shows how African American children were forced to grow up faster, to help their parents with the chores that got in the way, when they went away to work.

Louvenia:

She shows throughout the book that all African American maids during the civil rights era were not treatment horribly, despite what had happened to her son, Robert. She shows her connection and relationship with Lou Anne proved to be a good one. In the end, through Miss Skeeters p.o.v.,we find out that Louvenia is the reason why her employer (and as it seems, good friend) Lou Anne decides to not take her own life sometimes.

Richard:
Louvenia's son. He shows how cruel life can be for the African American individual who speaks up and how society tolerates "his kind". Known as the blinded Richard.

Treelore:
Aibileen's only son. She shows her motherly love of him through Mae Mobley and the reader wouldn't be surprised if she didn't love him more than her. He was trying to write a book on how black men in the south were treated; from his experience and others. When Aibileen told Ms Skeeter about his unfinished book, she took it upon herself to write a book about something similar to what he tried doing.


Constantine:

The Phelan families maid, the person who raised Ms. Skeeter, and was her best friend; until she stopped writing to Skeeter who was in college one day. Her dismiss was mysterious and her having a photo of a white girl (who was Constantine's daughter) was mysterious to Skeeter when she was younger. However, she showed how a relationship with nanny and child can work to be one of the best relationships proven. After disappearing, Skeeter tries to find out why, and the only way she does is towards the end of writing her novel. Constantine chases her daughter in Chicago after her daughter came to visit her in Jackson. Her daughters stay goes bad with Mrs. Charlotte Phelan, who at first thought she was white, but was kicked out when she found out. Staying with her daughter Constantine left to go to Chicago where she passed three weeks later.

Ms. Skeeter Phelan:

One of the three main narrators and main characters of the novel. She is literally the most educated woman from the bridge club table, having a college degree in writing. She strives to be an employee in any New York publishing/newspaper company and in order to impress she has to have experience and write about something controversial. Skeeter had a good relationship with her maid during her early years, so goes against Hilly's proposed bathroom initiative for maids that work in white houses. This leads to her eventually writing a book on the maids experiences in their life. This is influential and an eye opening moment for most who were involved in this, because sharing experiences with a white woman was unheard of. It was a great risk, leading to a great novel upon its release, even if she was shunned from her city by her own friends towards the end of "The Help". She also gets into a relationship with Stuart although he had many issues to sort out himself. Stuarts reason for being in the novel shows how people do realize what is wrong and right, but decide to go with the wrong in fear of what would happen if he did something right. This is because he father was big in politics. Ultimately, Skeeter finishes the book, she gets the job and New York City, and live to what seems will be her dream of a happy life.


Mrs. Phelan:(Charlotte)

Skeeter Phelans mother. She shows how women were supposed to act in the society during that time, and how her generation of females were shown to  be oppressed by males and their desire in women(with a formal appearance). She tries to teach Skeeter the ways of being an attractive woman, even though she criticized her the most. She comes down with ulcers that led to her stomach cancer later on in the novel. The doctor had given two months until she passes but she did not when the time came, and instead seemed to be getting better.

Mr. Phelan:(Robert)

The house/plantation owner of the Phelan family. He tries to help his wife recover from the ulcers and cancers although he didnt know how to help. In fact, he was oblivious to many things in the Phelan family due to the fact that he would be working in the plantation, picking cotton.

Celia Foote:

She is the exact opposite of Hilly when it comes to personality. She doesnt know how to cook and tries to get Minny to teach her; all to impress her husband Johnny. She tries continuously to get into the Junior League but cannot due to the fact that Hilly thinks Celia stole Johnny from her. She shows to be a depressed woman who soon confides in Minny with her problem although Minny is reluctant at first. She also refused to tell Johnny of  Minny working at their house so she could learn and impress, but that eventually failed since everyone found out one way or another.

Johnny Foote:

Celia Footes husband. He seems to be the reason for why Celia cannot get a spot working for the Junion League because his ex-girlfriend is the leader. He proves to be a loving and honest man when he meets Minny for the first time. He is quite the charmer to people throughout the novel.

Hilly Holbrook:

Hilly is the antagonist of the novel. She vows revenge on Minny for making her eat a pie she made for Hilly that was full of shit. However, with her husbands election coming up, she gain an awfully large amount of paranoia within herself. This tips off when she finds The Jim Crow Law pamphlet with what Skeeter said about her in the back one night. SO she goes on the hunt to find things out. She is unsuccessful, when the book comes out in getting everyone involved screwed, simply because of what Minny did with the pie being written in there.

William Holbrook:

Hilly's wife. His political election is the reason for his wife's paranoia and her downfall in a way. However, he isnt very valuable in any other way in the novel in all honesty.

Elizabeth Leefolt:

Elizabeth Leefolt, Aibileens employer. She is the one who follows what Hilly has to say and does according to what she says and does. She is the ideal brainwashed fool in society during that time. She cannot take care of her kids, her family, and leaves it all for Aibileen to do, in order to fit in with every other female in Jackson.

Mae Mobley Leefolt:

Mae Mobley is the child Aibileen takes care of. She is supposed to represent the child who grows up to understand that black people and white are the same; just people. She represents the generation that leads to the people of today.

Mrs. Walters:

Minnys previous employer. She treated Minny with certain amount of respect, compared to her own daughter. She to leave her house though, because Hilly decides its time for Missus Walker to go into a home. Leaves Minny with no job because Hilly also ruined her reputation.

Elaine Stein:

The publisher who wants Skeeter to write a controversial story in the south. She pushes around Skeeter continuously but in a way to get something done.